The Alberta PC's pitching a revised form of transition allowances for departing provincial politicians. Referred to as 'golden handshakes' by critics, the payouts were originally scrapped by Premier Alison Redford. (Alamy) | Alamy

EDMONTON - Alberta's governing Progressive Conservatives are pitching to bring back a plan that paid millions of dollars to retiring politicians — but in a much leaner form.

The Tories used their majority on the all-party member services committee Friday to pass a motion asking the legislature to consider reinstituting transition allowances, but under a different name.

They also passed a motion asking the legislature to make a new politician pension plan a straight-up RRSP. But taxpayers would pay the full contribution of $23,000 a year for each politician rather than half as originally proposed.

Government whip Steve Young, who proposed the motion, said it's a fair package that adequately compensates those who put their private careers on hold to serve as MLAs.

"We need to be clear and we need to be transparent," said Young.

"What (the remuneration) was before was too much. We needed to have one that reflects their transition back into public life and have a reasonable amount of (retirement) funds associated with that.

"MLAs are basically on four-year contracts."

The recommendations are to be reviewed by the entire legislative assembly, which begins its fall sitting Tuesday.

Young's proposal would see a politician who retired or was defeated receive one's month pay for every year of service up to 12 years.

The new payment, to be called a severance allowance, would replace the previous one that paid three months of salary for every year of service, with no limit on total years.

That resulted in $10.6 million being paid to 25 outgoing MLAs in the spring election, including $1 million for Speaker Ken Kowalski alone.

Premier Alison Redford and the Tories got an earful from angry voters over the allowance on the hustings, which prompted her to suspend the payments going forward.

Young's motion is the same as a private member's bill that was unsuccessfully put forward by an Opposition Wildrose MLA last year.

Wildrose Leader Danielle Smith, who participated in Friday's meeting by speaker phone, said she would have voted for the motion had the Tories not tied it to the RRSP pension plan.

While the RRSP option was the cheapest and most transparent of three pension options the committee examined, Smith said it sends the wrong message, given that ordinary wage-earning Albertans still have to contribute to their retirement.

"We're trying to get the kind of proposal that is available in the real world," Smith told the committee.

The committee voted earlier this year to adopt a single $134,000 base salary for MLAs.

Later, in an interview, Smith said taxpayers will not go for "rich benefits" to politicians "when we're facing a $3-billion deficit (and) a crisis in health care.

"There's absolutely no way that any one of those PCs would have got elected if this is what they'd campaigned on in the last election."

Alberta Liberal Leader Raj Sherman abstained from the vote. He has said politicians should not be entrusted to set their own pay. Friday's motion on new allowances and topped-up contributions underscores his point, he added.

"This is a joke and a farce," Sherman told the committee. "This is truly why we need a wholly independent process."

Derek Fildebrandt of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation said the RRSP pension option is the sound way to go, but politicians should have to make some contributions.

"MLAs need to have some skin in the game when it comes to their own pensions," he said in a news release.

Fildebrandt also called on the Tories to keep the promise made by Redford to scrap all transition allowances.

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Sh*t Alberta Premiers Say

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“Gosh, my goodness. Today is Thursday. Did I say it yesterday? Did I say it on Tuesday? Did I say it on Friday?”
“We are not introducing a provincial sales tax, period. I’ll say it again tomorrow if you like."
February 2013.

In a tongue-in-cheek greeting on This Hour Has 22 Minutes 2012 holiday special, Redford shared the following message to Canada -
"Christmas is my favourite time of year in Alberta.
Most people spend their time with family and friends. I choose to spend the bulk of my time the way I do the rest of the year - having a scotch with my friends from the oil and gas industry; talking about how to relax environmental regulations."
Looks like another mild winter. You're welcome, Canada."

"A good neighbour lends you a cup of sugar. A great neighbour supplies you with 1.4 million barrels of oil per day."
-- In an ad in The Washington Post. (CP)

"We have every other premier across the country understanding the importance of the energy economy and understanding that it's important for all Canadians that we do work together."
-- Taking a jab at B.C. Premier Christy Clark. (CP)

"Dinosaur farts."
-- On what may have brought about the Ice Age. (CP)

"I wasn't surprised that she crossed over to the Liberals. I don't think she ever did have a Conservative bone in her body. Well, maybe one."
-- Speaking at a charity roast in 2006, Klein comments on MP Belinda Stronach, who used to date fellow Tory MP Peter McKay, crossing the floor to join the Liberal Party. (CP)

"I'm no doctor, but I think that Mr. McGuinty's got a case of premature speculation," said Klein, reacting to comments made in March 2006 by Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty opposing any two-tiered health care system in Ontario that Klein has proposed in Alberta, which was believed would allow quicker access to surgery for those who pay.

"Would somebody please outline to me the advantages of our doing it this way? For me, an Albertan? What are they? Can you give me a couple of them? What do I as an Albertan gain by this mad rush up there?"
-- He asks in The Globe And Mail. (CP)

"I guess any self-respecting rancher would have shot, shovelled and shut up, but he didn't do that. Instead he took it to an abattoir."
-- At the discovery of mad cow disease on an Alberta ranch. (CP)

A fine city with too many socialists and mosquitoes. At least you can spray the mosquitoes."
-- In 1990 as a Tory MLA from Calgary. (CP)

"Let them freeze in the dark."
-- Lougheed takes on Trudeau regarding the NEP in the 70s. The quote is also cited as the more contentious bumper sticker fodder, 'Let the eastern bastards freeze in the dark.'